THE PILCHARD. 2(57 



Dr. M Eton's observations. 



of each hogshead, has amounted, one year with 

 another, at an average, to the price of one pound 

 thirteen shillings and three-pence; so that the 

 cash paid for pilchards exported has, at a me- 

 dium, annually amounted to the sum of 49,532/. 

 10s." 



Dr. Maton, in the first volume of his " Obser- 

 vations on the Western Counties," informs us 

 that he and a friend hired a boat to go out and 

 see the pilchard-fishing at Fowey, near Looe, in 

 Cornwall. " The fishing-boats," says our author, 

 ".which are pretty numerous, are usually stationed 

 in ten fathoms water, and clear of all breakers. 

 Light sail-boats keep out at a little distance be- 

 fore them, to give notice te the fishermen of the 

 approach of a shoal. Persons are also frequently 

 stationed on the neighbouring rock to watch the 

 course of the fish; these are called huers from 

 the circumstance of their setting up a hue to the 

 fishermen. The nets, which are seines, are some- 

 times two hundred fathoms or more in circum- 

 ference, and about eighteen deep. Some of them 

 are said to hold upwards of two hundred hogs- 

 heads of fish, each containing about three thou- 

 sand. About thirty thousand hogsheads are 

 here looked upon as a tolerably good produce 

 for one season; but it happens now and then 

 that the fishery almost entirely fails." About ten 

 years before our author was at this place, the 

 fishermen and their families had been compelled 

 to live for some time solely on limpets and other 

 21.2 



